"Shopkeeper Song, you are too courteous. How can I accept this?"
"I am already deeply honored that Master Celestial chose to come here. This is just a mere Universe Ring. Please accept it as a small token from me."
"Since you insist… then I shall accept it with many thanks!"
Shen Tian received the Universe Ring and put it on his forefinger. It fitted just nicely.
What's more, the ring also looked quite stylish.
The only trouble was—why did this ring also require proclamation of its ownership by using blood?
All of these Dharma treasures, numinous treasures, and secluded treasures required their owners to bleed in order to claim their ownership. From yesterday's experience of trying to claim ownership of the Sword Master Token, Shen Tian realized he had to sacrifice a full bowlful of blood in order to complete this procedure.
But didn't those television shows and anime showed that only one drop of blood was required?!
Why was it so different for him in this cultivation world?!
It didn't help that the Universe Ring Shopkeeper Song gave him also required him to use his blood to claim ownership before it could be used.
To be honest, Shen Tian was rather reluctant to keep this ring when he thought of this.
After all, it was not that easy to just give a bowl of blood—he could possibly faint from excessive blood loss!
How troublesome all this is!
…
"Shopkeeper Song, are you sure you want to give this ring to me?"
"Although I am unable to bestow blessings upon people like Master Celestial, I can, at least, keep my words."
"If you say so… then can I assume I have the right to decide what to do with this ring, from this moment onward?"
"Of course."
That's simply awesome.
Shen Tian pondered for a while before he finally took off the ring and passed it to Eunuch Gui.
"Uncle Gui, this Universe Ring shall be yours then!"
Eunuch Gui was shocked, "Oh, how can I do that? This is a gift from Shopkeeper Song. I most certainly cannot take it!"
A Universe Ring, which has 100-cubic-meter space, is worth at least 10,000 Spirit Stones or more.
Not anyone—even those from the royalty—can own such a rare treasure.
As for the Song Family, this Universe Ring is definitely a priceless treasure, one that is irreplaceable.
Yet now, His Highness just gave it to me, like passing any item carelessly.
This is enough to show how much he trusts me!
Shen Tian commented, "Uncle Gui, you're like my close kin. Why wouldn't I give you this ring?"
Eunuch Gui gazed wordlessly at Shen Tian's trusting smile, and a warm sensation ran through his body.
So to His Highness, I am his family?
I could put down my life for him just for this declaration!
…
Eunuch Gui did not reject Shen Tian's gift anymore. He took the Universe Ring and put it on his forefinger while forcing out a drop of blood with his Divinity.
The Universe Ring absorbed the drop of blood. A special connection was immediately formed between the Universe Ring and Eunuch Gui.
He only needed a single thought, and he could now retrieve or keep things in the Universe Ring. This was very convenient!
"Your Highness, I am done with the proclamation of ownership."
As Shen Tian watched how Eunuch Gui so easily proclaimed ownership of the ring, he got rather indignant.
So it just took one drop of blood to finish this proclamation?
Then why did I need to use a whole bowl of blood to proclaim ownership of that Sword Master Token!?
That
"Well, since you have successfully proclaimed ownership of this ring, then Uncle Gui, please help me keep these 4,000 Spirit Stones!"
After this, Shen Tian walked out of the Sky Spirit Pavilion.
…
To Shen Tian, it didn't actually matter who was the one keeping the Spirit Stones. After all, Uncle Gui had always been loyal to him, so there was nothing inappropriate about letting him keep the Spirit Stones.
As for why Shen Tian did not insist on keeping them himself?
Well, it's not like I have another ring that can keep things.
These were Shen Tian's truthful thoughts. Yet the onlookers had a totally different interpretation of this scene.
"Wth, is Master Celestial filthy rich or what?"
"A mere old servant of Master Celestial can get such great remuneration already!"
"Did Master Celestial just give his old servant a Universe Ring containing 4,000 Spirit Stones, or what? How many assets does he own, honestly?"
"He's worried that his old servant would be tired from carrying the 4,000 Spirit Stones, and so he gave him a Universe Ring that's worth 10,000 Spirit Stones…"
"Brother Celestial is so suave! He is my dream guy!"
"Does Brother Celestial still lack any servants…? The kind who can act as pretty fox fairies, sexy cat demons, etc.?"
…
On the other hand, Shopkeeper Song was not at all offended that Shen Tian gave the Universe Ring to that 'Uncle Gui'.
On the contrary, he was feeling relieved instead—relieved because he might just have escaped from a great disaster.
Hello, this is someone who can just toss a Universe Ring to a servant… Is this person a figure I can risk offending?
Moreover, after observing how that 'Uncle Gui' spoke, Shopkeeper Song guessed that this person most probably was a eunuch from the palace.
This double-confirmed his previous conjectures—this Master Celestial Aotian must be none other than the famous 6th Prince of the Country of Fire, Shen Ao!
Other than that, the 6th Prince seemed more intimidating than what was rumored.
The reason for this conclusion was because Shopkeeper Song had been observing Uncle Gui intently, and he discovered a detail. The sword which Uncle Gui was carrying on his back, it was the Jade Water Sword, which belonged to the young Li mistress, Li Lian'er!
For heaven's sake, the Jade Water Sword's value had way surpassed his Universe Ring!
If Shen Tian had trusted Uncle Gui enough to carry the Jade Water Sword, what's surprising about giving a Universe Ring to him?
On second thought, since Li Lian'er had given Shen Tian her Jade Water Sword, most probably the rumors between the two were not falsehoods.
The Li Family was, after all, the most influential aristocratic family of the Grand White Grotto-Heaven. That family had renowned experts, and anyone being chosen by Fairy Lian'er would be on an escalated route to success.
A mere family like his own could not afford to offend any single one of these figures!
…
When he thought through all those delicate clauses, Shopkeeper Song felt he had to be all the more courteous toward Shen Tian.
He stood by the side respectfully while Eunuch Gui kept all 4,000 Spirit Stones into the Universe Ring and then sent them off like he was treading on thin ice.
When Shen Tian and his company finally left the Sky Spirit Pavilion, Shopkeeper Song's clothes were already drenched from perspiration.
This is so scary!
The moment he turned back to his son, he gave a hard slap on young Shopkeeper Song's head.
"Listen up! I believe Master Celestial isn't angry with you anymore. I beg you. Please be respectful to him if you two ever cross paths again. If not, you shall have it from me instead!"
Young Shopkeeper Song was rendered speechless.
…
To be honest, Shen Tian didn't mind at all about what happened at the Sky Spirit Pavilion.
In fact, he had not registered how much Shopkeeper Song was trying to please him all along, even after he left the place.
He was still overjoyed at the fact that both Shopkeeper Song and his son did not recognize him!
Out of the first batch of the 20 people who had 'affinity' with him, four of them already had their turn of fortuitous opportunities.
According to where the next most fortuitous opportunities would be found, Shen Tian headed towards the Phoenix Spirit Loft located on the Myriad Spirit Garden's east side.
From what he saw, out of the 20 people who had 'affinity' with him, three of them would meet their fortuitous opportunities at the Phoenix Spirit Loft.
Thus, braving the onlookers' anticipated stares, Shen Tian led the three of them into the Phoenix Spirit Loft. In the next few minutes, Shen Tian chose the correct Spirit Ores for each of them, respectively, following the projected images he saw.
The three Spirit Ores were cut open in front of the onlookers' eyes.
Opened!
Opened!
Opened!
Hit!
Hit!
Hit!
All the Spirit Stones that were extracted were at least worth 10 or more times the prices which they were sold for.
In fact, the shop made the biggest loss on one of the Spirit Ores, which was priced at 8 Spirit Stones initially. A total of 1,100 Spirit Stones were extracted from it when it was cut open—this meant the shop had lost more than 100 times the original selling price!
What a good deal for the buyer!
Meanwhile, those three 'fated people' also became Shen Tian's steadfast followers upon their seniors' teachings. They insisted on giving Shen Tian at least half of what they earned and refused to take it back when Shen Tian rejected them.
Shen Tian was considerably perplexed by such actions.
To be honest, I really don't want it, but since they insisted…
Hehehehehe~
…
Right when Shen Tian was about to bring the remaining 13 'fated persons' to other places to open more Spirit Ores, he heard somebody quarreling outside the Phoenix Spirit Loft.
When he looked more closely, he saw that those involved in the quarrel were divided into two groups of people. One group consisted mainly of males, while the other group was made up mostly of females.
These two groups of people were in a heated argument. What's worth mentioning was that the group consisted mainly of guys were holding up a banner, and on which was written:
"We Will Always Support Little Spirit Fairy!"